Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (EXNS)

Explanation of Course Numbers

Those in the 2000s to 4000s are upper-division undergraduate courses that can also be taken for graduate credit with permission and additional work

Those in the 6000s and 8000s are for master’s, doctoral, and professional-level students

The 6000s are open to advanced undergraduate students with approval of the instructor and the dean or advising office

EXNS 1103. Professional Foundations in Exercise Science. 1 Credit.

Introduction to the science and practice of exercise and human movement as they relate to public health. Emphasis on the various sub-disciplines of exercise science, research related to the field, and professional and career development.

EXNS 1109. Professional Foundations in Nutrition Science. 1 Credit.

Overview of nutrition science and current challenges in the field; sub-disciplines of nutrition science and how they work together to answer important research questions for human health.

Continuation of EXNS 1110. Fundamentals of human anatomy and physiology for students preparing for health sciences professions. Emphasis on muscles, sensory and motor integration of the nervous system, function of the special senses, and the autonomic system. Laboratory fee. Prerequisites: EXNS 1110.

EXNS 1112. Current Issues in Coaching. 3 Credits.

Examination of current trends and issues in athletics, sport, and coaching from theoretical and applied perspectives. Study of a variety of timely topics using presentations, readings, videos, internet activities, and discussions.

EXNS 1114. Community Nutrition. 3 Credits.

Introduction to community nutrition and public health programs offered on the local, state, national, and international levels, targeting both individuals and groups. Topics include health policies, nutrition programs, nutrition assessment, and principles of nutrition education.

Nutritional needs for recreational exercise and sports; skills in assessing nutritional needs; development of individual nutrition programs that are sport/activity-specific; and identification and correction of nutrition problems affecting sports performance. Prerequisites: EXNS 2119 or HLWL 1116.

EXNS 1119W. Children and Sport. 3 Credits.

Psychomotor, psychosocial, and physiological factors of children’s participation in sports. The importance of sport to children, readiness to compete, adaptations to training, participation motives, social factors, fundamentals of training, nutrition, stress, and child protection. Theoretical aspects applied in a variety of sports settings.

EXNS 1199. Topics in Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. 1-3 Credits.

Topic announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs.

Function of the human body under the influence of physical activity. Nutrition as a foundation for human performance, energy for physical activity, and comprehensive weight management. Laboratory fee. Prerequisites: EXNS 1110 and EXNS 1111.

EXNS 2112. Exercise Physiology II. 4 Credits.

Response of physiological systems of the body to acute and chronic exercise and neuromuscular adaptations to exercise. Exercise training program design, training in extreme environmental conditions, and training considerations for special populations. Laboratory fee. Prerequisites: EXNS 2111.

EXNS 2113. Kinesiology. 4 Credits.

How the human body functions as a mechanical movement generator; the design and function of joints and muscles and principles of mechanics applied to human movement. Common injuries to the musculoskeletal system, how these injuries might occur, and what effect they have on movement patterns. Laboratory methods including techniques for palpation and evaluation of movement. Laboratory Fees. Prerequisites: ANAT 2181 or BISC 2581 or EXNS 1110.

EXNS 2114. Nutrition Sciences I. 3 Credits.

Study of macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein) and how they are digested, absorbed, and metabolized by the human body; how macronutrients are implicated in disease pathology, prevention, and management. Prerequisites: BISC 1115 and BISC 1125.

The psychological, social, and environmental factors that influence the adoption and maintenance of physical activity/exercise and other health behaviors. The role of physical activity/exercise in the prevention of chronic disease. Emphasis on prominent theories used to understand and predict behavior change towards the initiation and maintenance of health behaviors. Issues specific to public health and diversity such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender are also addressed. Restricted to majors only. Prerequisites: PSYC 1001.

EXNS 2117. Sport Psychology. 3 Credits.

Introduction to current research and theoretical perspectives on psychological and psychosocial components of sport participation and competition. Participation motives, motivation, confidence, anxiety, aggression, and other factors that influence individuals and teams or groups. Prerequisites: PSYC 1001.

EXNS 2117W. Sport Psychology. 3 Credits.

Introduction to current research and theoretical perspectives on psychological and psychosocial components of sport participation and competition. Participation motives, motivation, confidence, anxiety, aggression, and other factors that influence individuals and teams or groups. Students complete written assignments to hone writing skills and apply course material. Prerequisites: PSYC 1001.

EXNS 2119. Introduction to Nutrition Science. 3 Credits.

Nutrition science as it relates to human growth and development. Dietary guidelines, digestion and absorption of nutrients, appetite, body weight, and chronic disease; how the body uses vitamins, minerals, and energy provided by fats, carbohydrates, and proteins; assessing nutritional status; nutrition on an individual and population level. Prerequisites: BISC 1115 and BISC 1125.

Advanced practical application of skills learned in EXNS 2110, including first aid techniques, injury recognition skills, taping, and treatment of injuries. Concurrent enrollment in EXNS 2110 is required for students in the Pre-athletic Training/Sports Medicine track.

EXNS 2122. Food Systems in Public Health. 3 Credits.

This course explores systems thinking as it pertains to agriculture and food, attempts to define sustainability within the context of the global food system, examines the current state of the global food system from farm to fork, and analyzes its impacts on health. The course also examines several policies, programs, and proposals aimed at creating a healthier, more sustainable global food system.

For undergraduate exercise and nutrition sciences majors. Application of classroom-based knowledge to practical experience within a professional setting. Restricted to undergraduate majors in exercise and nutrition sciences. Prerequisites: EXNS 2112 and permission of the instructor.

EXNS 3111. Nutrition Science Research Methods. 3 Credits.

Approaches and techniques used in nutrition science research, with a focus on human studies; development and critique of study designs, commonly encountered measurement and analysis issues, and human research ethics. Prerequisites: EXNS 2114, EXNS 2115 and EXNS 2120; and STAT 1051 or STAT 1053 or STAT 1127.

EXNS 3117. Injury Assessment. 4 Credits.

Students gain skills and practical experience in the assessment of injuries. Includes anatomy review, evaluation techniques and procedures, referral skills, and appropriate documentation. Prerequisites: EXNS 2110.

EXNS 3118. Therapeutic Modalities in Sports Medicine. 4 Credits.

Explanation and demonstration of the use of therapeutic modalities on the healing process, including discussion of the use of therapeutic modalities to enhance the rehabilitation process after athletic injury. Laboratory fee. Prerequisites: EXNS 3117 or permission of instructor.

EXNS 3119. Therapeutic Exercise in Sports Medicine. 4 Credits.

Explanation and demonstration of the use of therapeutic exercise on the rehabilitation process. Discussion and development of practical skills in techniques of therapeutic exercise and equipment to enhance the exercise routine after athletic injury. Prerequisites: EXNS 3117 or permission of instructor.

EXNS 3121. Medical Issues in Sports Medicine. 3 Credits.

Topics in general medical issues and pharmacology as they relate to the athletic training profession. Prerequisites: EXNS 1110 and EXNS 1111.

EXNS 3123W. Psychology of Injury and Rehabilitation. 3 Credits.

Injury and rehabilitation psychology and its application to working with athletic and general population clients. The psychological, social, and environmental factors that influence injury susceptibility, reaction to injury, and adherence to rehabilitation; basic assessment and intervention techniques to promote and facilitate adherence to rehabilitation in a variety of professional settings. Strong emphasis on writing, writing development, and use of scientific literature obtained through library resources throughout the course. Restricted to Exercise & Nutrition Sciences majors only.

EXNS 3125. Athletic Training Practicum. 3 Credits.

Students gain practical/clinical experience in athletic training and medical skills.

EXNS 4110. Current Issues in Exercise Science. 3 Credits.

Capstone course for senior exercise science majors in their final spring semester. Students are required to understand and apply identified competencies from the core exercise science curriculum. Restricted to Senior exercise science majors in their final spring semester.

EXNS 4112. Nutrition Science Senior Capstone Seminar. 1 Credit.

Students are required to understand and apply identified competencies from the core nutrition science curriculum. Students enroll in their final spring semester of the program. Restricted to seniors in the nutrition science program.

EXNS 6202. Advanced Exercise Physiology I. 3 Credits.

Examination of acute and chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary adaptations to exercise training. Focus on mechanisms that affect oxygen delivery and utilization during aerobic exercise. Responses to exercise in extreme environmental conditions.

EXNS 6203. Advanced Exercise Physiology II. 3 Credits.

Metabolic and neuromuscular adaptations that occur in response to acute and chronic exercise. Biochemical pathways responsible for energy production during rest and exercise, and how these pathways adapt with chronic training. Neural, hormonal, and nutritional factors that influence exercise performance. Laboratory fees. Prerequisites: EXNS 6202 or permission of instructor.

Psychological, sociological, and environmental factors related to the adoption of exercise behavior and maintenance and achieving peak sport performance. The influence of psychology on exercise and sport behaviors, and techniques for changing and/or optimizing such behaviors using a person-centered, individual approach. Issues specific to public health and diversity including race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and gender are emphasized throughout the course.

EXNS 6208. Physical Activity: Physiology and Epidemiology. 2 Credits.

Introduction to health issues resulting from physical inactivity (or disuse). Basic principles of energy metabolism and both basic and leading edge methods for physical activity assessment. Topics include major physiological systems' adaptation to exercise training and to de-training and how this adaptation may vary by age and sex; the relationship between disuse and major chronic diseases across the age spectrum; and individual and community-based intervention strategies to modify behavior and ameliorate the putative effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Study of the role of the built environment as an environmental “toxin” using the basic principles of environmental health risk assessment. Prerequisites: EXNS 2111.

EXNS 6209. Advanced Concepts in Nutrition Science. 3 Credits.

Topics in nutrition and public health. Emerging issues, challenges, and controversies in nutrition science; the role of diet composition and physical activity in the maintenance of health and the development of chronic disease; and effectively communicating scientific findings and identifying key knowledge gaps in nutrition science literature.

EXNS 6210. Cardiac Rehabilitation. 3 Credits.

Overview of a wide range of clinical, public health, and health care topics associated with heart disease with an emphasis on coronary artery disease. Cardiac rehabilitation programming and services, secondary prevention, patient education, and current clinical guidelines, scientific statements, and selected regulations related to cardiac rehabilitation.

Students work directly with a multidisciplinary health care or research team and patients and apply the knowledge and skills acquired from coursework in a clinical environment. Internships take place at pre-approved clinical sites, usually in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, and students are supervised by an on-site clinical instructor.

EXNS 6214. Clinical Internship II. 3 Credits.

Students work directly with a multidisciplinary health care or research team and patients and apply the knowledge and skills acquired from coursework in a clinical environment. Internships take place at pre-approved clinical sites, usually in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, and students are supervised by an on-site clinical instructor.

EXNS 6215. Clinical Exercise Physiology Rotations. 3 Credits.

Supervised clinical experience for students in the Clinical Exercise Physiology program. Working with clinical patient populations in hospitals in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, students observe and participate in the assessment and treatment of patients with a variety of chronic diseases.

Administrative organization of programs providing clinical exercise services. Budgeting and staffing; equipment and supplies; policies, protocols, and program forms; Medicare regulations and coding; and safety issues. While cardiac rehabilitation is the program model for the majority of this topic, the information can be used in other types of clinical exercise physiology programs. Combination of classroom and online sessions.

EXNS 6220. Power Training for Sports Performance. 2 Credits.

Effective training programs for sports that require explosive performance. Emphasis on training methods that develop speed and power, such as plyometrics and Olympic weightlifting. Provides information on specific competencies for students interested in pursuing certification as a strength and conditioning specialist. Prerequisites: EXNS 2111 or equivalent.

EXNS 6221. Science and Theory of Training. 3 Credits.

Physiological adaptations to resistance training, with a primary focus given to the neuromuscular system. Functional and structural changes that occur in skeletal muscle following strength and power training. Programmatic concerns when developing a resistance training regimen for an athletic population.

EXNS 6222. Current Topics in Strength and Conditioning. 1-2 Credits.

Current scientific findings related to the field of strength and conditioning. Examination of how resistance training programs affect athletic performance in terms of increased strength, power, endurance, and resistance to injury. The health benefits of resistance training in non-athletic populations. Prerequisites: EXNS 6202 or permission of the instructor.

Students gain or enhance public health knowledge and explore an area of interest related to public health research or the delivery and/or administration of health services. Permission of instructor or advisor required. Restricted to For MS degree candidates enrolled in the department.

EXNS 6233. Graduate Internship. 1-6 Credits.

Fieldwork, internship, and/or instructional practice related to the field of study as pre-approved by the advisor. May be repeated for credit up to a maximum of 6 credits with prior permission of the advisor. Restricted to Master's degree in Exercise Science students only.

EXNS 6242. Nutrition Throughout the Life Cycle. 2 Credits.

The science of nutrition as it relates to health throughout the human life cycle. Changes in human metabolic processes and nutrient needs during the course of the aging process. Nutrition-related disorders. Prerequisites: EXNS 2119 or permission of the instructor.

EXNS 6261. Thesis Seminar. 3 Credits.

Required for students planning to write a thesis. Principles, concepts, and procedures of research design, including interpreting the scientific literature, designing a statistical plan, applying basic statistical techniques, and communicating scientific findings to professional and general audiences. Students develop a research protocol.

EXNS 6299. Topics in Exercise Science. 1-3 Credits.

Topic to be announced in the Schedule of Classes.

EXNS 6998. Thesis Research. 3 Credits.

Students work independently to conduct research under the oversight of a faculty research committee. Restricted to MS in exercise science degree candidates.